Tag Archives: Glasgow music venues

We’re really looking forward to The Passion of Harry Bingo, the new book from award-winning writer, Peter Ross, due in August. In the meantime to keep you going we’re re-running the popular photo essay by Peter and photographer Anne Ward on the legendary Barrowland Ballroom. For more of Anne’s writing and photographs check out her fabulous books, Nothing To See Here and Northern Delights. Keep your eyes peeled for news of Anne’s new book, Way Out West, coming soon! Thank you Anne and thank you Peter.

Double doors, Barrowland, Glasgow (Anne Ward)

TEN letters. Thirty-six stars. Two hundred and forty volts. Put that like that it does not sound like much, but the neon sign of the Barrowland Ballroom is so much more – a gaudy, gallus pleasure beacon which for generations has shone out into the Glasgow night, reflected in the mirrored windows of rock band coaches, in rain-choked Gallowgate gutters, and in the eyes of music fans intent on the good time to end all good times. “What can ye say, darlin’?” shrugged one young woman, standing in the queue for Biffy Clyro. “The Barrowlands is The Barrowlands.” Put like that, again, it did not sound like much, but it was a statement of pure love and everyone who heard it understood exactly what she meant. Continue reading →

Our regular Music Mile tour has great stories about the very early days of Belle and Sebastian but more and more people have been getting in touch asking if we could do bespoke tours focused on the band.

After scratching our heads for a bit, we came up with a flexible tour which takes in all of the major sites which are associated with the band or their songs.

The Old Hairdresser’s in Glasgow will host films, performances and live music every day during the GI Festival. We’ll be highlighting some of the events over the next couple of weeks, beginning this weekend with the Fantom Cinema programme.

Saturday 9th April features short films including What Is A Group? the new film by Ian Svenonius, and footage of Glasgow punk girls Lung Leg from 1995. Spread Eagle round off the evening with their brilliant glammy racket. Continue reading →

VisitScotland’s first-ever global campaign is shining a spotlight on Glasgow as one of the country’s most outstanding destinations.

Glasgow Music City Tours founder and guide Fiona Shepherd is the subject of one of the twelve beautifully-shot, documentary-style online films which capture the spirit of Scotland through the eyes of those who live and work here.

Images of Glasgow will be beamed worldwide as part of the new VisitScotland cinematic TV advert set to be shown to audiences across the USA and UK. Timelapse footage brings the stunning venues within the city, such as the SSE Hydro, Barrowland and King Tuts to life alongside a specially commissioned soundtrack by the Royal Scottish National Orchestra (RSNO).

Fiona, who combines her job as a music journalist with running Glasgow Music City Tours, shares her passion for the city in which she was born and its vibrant music scene in ‘Fiona’s Story’. In the film she speaks of the unique atmosphere of gigs in Glasgow, how its audiences are renowned the world over for ‘being vocal’, and of the bands which have started out in the city – including Oasis, Franz Ferdinand and Belle & Sebastian. She also talks of her love for Glasgow and living in a city which has ‘so much going for it’ and is ‘the music epicentre of Scotland’.

Fiona Shepherd, said: “I feel very proud to have been asked to be in one of the short films which were commissioned for VisitScotland’s major new marketing campaign and I’m absolutely delighted that Glasgow and its fantastic music scene is being promoted in the stunning new TV ad as well as in the online film. It’s great to see VisitScotland showcasing the very best of Scotland’s culture to a worldwide audience through this exciting campaign.”